A Distributed Secure System

1 July 1983

journal article
Published by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in Computer

Vol. 16 (7) , 55-67
https://doi.org/10.1109/mc.1983.1654443

Abstract

We describe the design of a distributed general-purposecomputing system that enforces a multilevel security policy.The system is composed of standard UNIX systems and smalltrustworthy security mechanisms linked together in such a wayas to provide a total system which, is not only demonstrablysecure, but also highly efficient and cost effective. Despite theheterogeneity of its components, the system as a whole appearsto be a single multilevel secure UNIX system, since the fact thatit is actually a distributed system is completely hidden from itsusers and their programs.This is achieved through the use ofthe "Newcastle Connection", a software subsystem that linkstogether multiple UNIX or UNIX-look-alike systems, withoutrequiring any changes to the source code of either the operatingsystem or any user programs. Construction of a prototypeimplementation is in progress.

Keywords

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